Slip anchored type well casing support and packing device



Oct. 13, 1959 c DAVls 2,908,514

SLIP ANCHORED TYPE WELL CASING SUPPORT AND PACKING DEVICE Filed April 26, 1956 INVENTOR ATTORNEY SLIP ANCHORED TYPE WELL CASING SUPPORT AND PACKING DEVICE Melvin C. Davis, Denver, Colo.

Application April 26, 1956, Serial No. 580,733

8 Claims. (Cl. 285- 146) This invention relates to well equipment and more particularly to a device for supporting a tubing in a well and for providing a seal between the tubing and the casing head of the well.

Heretofore, numerous well tubing supports and packing devices have been proposed and utilized, but in many instances, the supporting function was entirely independent of the packing or scaling function and in most cases, the seal was provided by manually manipulating the dewell tubing support and packing device in which a packing ring is provided to be expanded into engagement with the exterior surface of the tubing and the interior surface of a well casing head and in which such expansion is provided by the weight of the tubing supported in the well, such weight being carried by the packing ring.

Another object of the invention is the provision of a well tubing support and packing device in which the only manual operation required is the application of the device to the tubing, the supporting function and the packing or sealing function thereafter being entirely automatic.

vice to compress and expand a packing member into engagement with the tubing and the internal surface of the. casing head. With these manually operated devices it was frequently diflicult to obtain a suitable fluid tight seal between the tubing and the casing head and furthermore, the operation of these devices was time consuming and not entirely satisfactory.

As is wellknown the fluid pressure within a well of the type under consideration is usually in proportion to the depth of such well and consequently the deeper the well, the more difiicult it is to provide a proper seal between the well tubing and the casing head. Since the weight of the well tubing is proportional to the depth of the well, it has been found that this condition can be utilized to provide a seal between the tubing and the casing head, the tightness of which will vary in accordance with the weight of the tubing suspended in the well. Accordingly, in the case of a deep well requiring a relatively long tube, the seal will be automatically tightened to provide a fluid tight packing and in the case of a relatively shallow well where less fluid pressure is to be sealed, the sealing engagement of the packing will be proportionately less, thereby automatically adapting the device to widely varying conditions.

It is accordingly an object of the invention to provide-a well tubing support and packing device which may be conveniently and economically constructed from readily available material and which may be utilized to suspend or support a tubing in a well and, at the same time, provide a seal between such tubing and the casing head of the well in order to prevent leakage of fluid pressure from within the well. Y

A further object of the invention is the provision of a well tubing support and packing device which may be utilized to support a tubing in a well and provide a fluid pressure seal between such tubing and the casing head of the well, such device automatically engaging the tubing to support the same and, at the same time, expanding a packing into engagement with the tubing and the casing head with a pressure proportional to the weight of the tube suspended in the well thereby sealing such well against fluid pressure leakage in accordance with the depth thereof.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of a well tubing support and packing device which may beconveniently applied to a tubing intermediate the length thereof, the operation thereafter being entirely automatic.

Another object of the invention'is the provision of a Further objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing wherein:

Fig. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially on the line 1--1 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the well tubing support and packing device of this invention in place in a well casing head;

Fig. 3 a top plan view of the well tubing support and packing device shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 4 a top plan view of the packing ring utilized in the device of this invention;

Fig. 5 a top plan view of the body of the packing device of this invention;

Fig. 6 a sectional view taken substantially on the line 6-6 of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 7 a bottom plan view of the well tubing support and packing device of this invention.

With continued reference to the drawing there is shown a well tubing support and packing device constructed in spection of Fig. 1, that the above mentioned, extend outwardly of the tapered sue purpose of this surface configuration will be later described.

The inner surfaces 17 and 18 of the side walls of the sections 11 and 12 are downwardly and inwardly inclined and a portion 19 and 20 of the outer surface of each section 11 and 12 is also downwardly and inwardly inclined for a purpose which will be later described.

A plurality of segmental tube engaging slips 21, 22, 23 and 24 are slidably disposed in the body 10 below the flanges 13 and 14 and the slips 21, 22, 23 and 24 are provided with serrated inner surfaces 25 which serve toengage and bite into the surface of a tubing to be supported, in a manner to be presently described. The slips 21, 22, 23 and 24 are provided with downwardly and inwardly inclined upper surfaces 26 which engage the downwardly and inwardly inclined surfaces 17 and 18 on the sections 11 and 12 of the body 10 and consequently, as will be seen from an inspection of Fig. l, downward movement of the slips 21, 22, 23 and 24 in the body 10 will result in movement of the same radially inwardly to engage and grip a tubing, in a manner to be presently described.

The slips 21, 22, 23 and 24 are provided with screw. threaded apertures 27 in the upper ends thereof and keyways 28, 29, 30 and 31 are provided in the outer surface of each slip 21, 22, 23 and '24 respectively. Tapered keys 32, 33, 34 and '35 are disposed in the keyways 28, 29,- 30 and 3 1 respectively and the keys are provided with pins 86, 37, 38 and 69 respectively which project through apertures 40, 41, 42 @and 43 inthe sections 11 and 12 of the body 10. It will be noted from an in; pins projecting from the keys;

faces 19 and 20 on the sections 11 and 12. It will thus be seen, that upon exerting an inward force on the pins 36, '37, 38 and 39 that the corresponding slips 21, 22, 23 and 24 will be forced inwardly of the body 10.

The arcuate flanges 13 and 14 are provided with apertures 44 in alignment with the screw threaded apertures 27 in the slips 21, 22, 2'3 and 24 and positioned on the convex surfaces 15 and 16 of the flanges 1'3 and 14 is a one-piece split packing ring 45 which may be formed of suitable yieldable material, such as rubber or any other material which will withstand the pressures and fluids to which the same is subjected and the packing ring 45 is split, as shown at 46, and is provided with a plurality of apertures 47 in alignment with the apertures 44 in the flanges 13 and 14 and the screw threaded apertures 27 in the slips 21, 22, 23 and 24. Prior to expansion, the packing ring 45 is provided with internal and external diameters substantially equal to the internal and external diameters of the flanges 13 and 14 on the body 10.

Disposed on the upper surface of the packing ring 45 is a pressure ring 46 formed of two substantially semicircular sections 47 and 48 and such sections are provided with apertures 49 in alignment with the apertures 47 in the packing ring 45, the apertures 44 in the flanges 13 and 1-4 and the screw threaded apertures 27 in the slips '21, 22, 23 and 24. The lower surfaces of the sections 47 and 48 forming the pressure ring 46 are convex, as shown at 50 in Fig. 1.

The operation of the well tubing support and packing device of this invention is clearly shown in Fig. 2, in which the-re is shown in dotted outline a well casing 51, a well casing head 52 having an inner tapered surface 53 and a well tubing 54 to be supported in the well, it also being necessary to provide a fluid pressure seal between the exterior surface of the tubing 54 and the cylindrical interior surface '55 of the well casing head 52. The two sections 11 and 12 of the body with the slips '21, 22, '23 and '24 disposed therein are placed about the tubing '54 above the casing head 52 and the packing ring 45, as well as the sections 47 and 48 forming the pressure ring 46, are also applied to the tubing 54 in the relationship shown in Fig. 1. Thereafter screw threaded fastening means or tension members 56 are inserted through the apertures 49 in the pressure ring 46, the apertures 47 in the packing ring 45, the apertures 44 in the flanges 13 and 14 and threadedly engaged in the apertures 27 in the slips 21, 22, 23 and 24. The fastening means or tension members 56 are provided with heads to prevent downward movement of the same through the pressure ring 46 and, of course, such fastening means 56 are freely slidable in the apertures in the flanges and packing ring. The fastening means 56 is merely tightened to sufliciently hold the parts in assembled relationship and these screw threaded means are not utilized to force the pressure ring 46 into tight clamping engagement with the packing ring 45. The tubing 54 with the support and packing device of this invention installed thereon is then lowered to move the packing device downwardly into the casing head 52, whereupon the outer ends of the pins 36, 37, 38 and 39 engage the tapered surface 53 on the casing head 52 which results in urging the slips 21, 22, 23 and 24 inwardly into firm biting engagement with the outer surface of the tube '54 and further downward movement of the tube 54 as a result of the weight thereof, will move the slips 21, 22, 23 and 24 downwardly in the body 10 and, at the same time, through the fastening means 56 pull the pressure ring 46 downwardly into firm engagement with the upper surface of the packing ring 45 and as a result of the convex surfaces and 16 on the flanges 1'3 and \14 and the convex surfaces 50 on the sections 47 and 48 of the pressure ring 46, the packing ring 45 will be expanded radially, both inwardly and outwardly, and into engagement with the outer surface of the tubing 54 and the inner surface of the well casing head 52 thereby providing an effective fluid pressure seal.

4 Obviously, the pressure exerted by the pressure ring 46 tending to expand the packing ring 45 will depend directly on the weight of the tubing 54 and since, the weight of such tubing is, of course, dependent upon the length thereof, consequently, the deeper the well, the greater the force exerted to expand the packing ring 45. Furthermore, the gripping engagement of the slips 21, 22, 23 and 24 varies directly with the weight of the tubing 54 and consequently, there will be no tendency for the same to slip regardless of the weight thereof. The keys 32, 33, 34 and 35 engaging in the keyways 28, '29, 30 and 31 serve to retain the slips 21, 22, 23 and 24 in position to facilitate insertion of the tension members 56 and the pins 36, 37, 38 and 39 serve to initially move the slips into engagement with the tubing 54. The pins thereafter merely maintain the keys 32, 33, 34 and '35 in position in the keyways 28, 29, 30 and 3:1 and prevent downward movement of the keys with the slips 21, 22, 23 and 24.

It will thus be seen, that by the above described invention there has been provided a relatively simple, yet highly effective well tubing support and packing device and one in which the only manual operation required is the installation of the same on the tubing to be supported and the device thereafter automatically operating to firmly grip the tubing so support the same and, at the same time, by reason of the weight of the tubing, expand a packing ring into firm fluid pressure sealing engagement with the outer surface of the tubing and the inner surface of a well casing head. The sealing engagement does not in any way depend upon a manual operation and consequently, there is no danger of twisting off screw threaded fastening means in an attempt to obtain a firm sealing engagement, as is the case with many of the prior art devices of this nature. As a consequence, the supporting and sealing functions of this device are entirely automatic and also operate in accordance with the depth of the well in a manner to effectively support a tubing therein and seal against the leakage of fluid pressure therefrom, regardless of the depth of such well.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes may be made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope thereof and therefore the invention is not limited by that which is shown in the drawing and described in the specification, but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. A well tubing support and packing device comprising a generally cylindrical hollow body formed by two substantially semi-circular sections, an inwardly extending arcuate flange at the upper end of each section, the inner surface of the side wall of each section below said flange being downwardly and inwardly inclined, a portion of the outer surface of the side wall of each section being downwardly and inwardly inclined, the upper surface of the flange on each section being convex, a plurality of segmental tube engaging slips slidably disposed in said body, a serrated inner surface on each slip and a downwardly and inwardly inclined outer surface slidably engaging the inner surface of said body, screw threaded apertures in the upper end of each slip, a keyway in the outer surface of each slip, a key disposed in each keyway, a pin secured to each key and slidably received in an aperture in the side wall of said body, each pin projecting outwardly of the outer inclined portion of each section, a one-piece split packing ring of yieldable material engaging the upper convex surface of each flange, a pressure ring formed by two substantially semi-circular sections having a convex lower surface engaging the upper surface of said packing ring, aligned apertures in said pressure ring, said packing ring and said flange in alignment with the screw threaded apertures in said slips and headed screw threaded tension members extending through the apertures in said pressure ring and slidably received in the aligned apertures in said packing ring and flanges and engaging said screw threaded apertures in said slips whereby upon placing said device in a'well casing head having a partially tapered inner surface engaging said pins and with a tubing extending through said device, limited downward movement of said device will seat the outer inclined surface of said body on said tapered surface and move said keys inwardly to engage said slips with said tubing and upon downward movement of said tubingsaid slips will move downwardly to grip the same and, at the same time, move said tension members and said pressure ring downwardly to axially compress and radially expand said packing ring into engagement with the outer surface of said tubing and the inner surface of said head to provide a seal between said tubing and said head.

2. A well tubing support and packing device comprising a generally cylindrical hollow body formed by two substantially semi-circular sections, an inwardly extending arcuate flange at the upper end of each section, the inner surface of the side wall of each section below said flange being downwardly and inwardly inclined, a portion of the outer surface of the side wall of each section being downwardly and inwardly inclined, the upper surface of the flange on each section being convex, a plurality of segmental tubing engaging slips slidably disposed in said body, a downwardly and inwardly inclined outer surface on each slip slidably engaging the inner surface of said body, screw threaded apertures in the upper end of each slip, a keyway in the outer surface of each slip, a key disposed in each keyway, a pin secured to each'ke'y and slid ably received in'an aperture in the sidewall of said body, each pin projecting outwardly of the outer inclined portionof each section, a one-piece split packing ring of yieldable material engaging the upper convex surface of each flange, a pressure ring formed by two substantially semi-circular sections having a convex lower section engaging the upper surface of said packing ring, aligned apertures in said pressure ring, said packing ring and said flange in alignment with the screw threaded apertures in said slips and headed screw threaded tension members extending through the apertures in said pressure ring and slidably received in the aligned apertures in said packing ring and flanges and engaging said screw threaded apertures in said slips whereby upon placing said device in a well casing head having a partially tapered inner surface engaging said pins and with a tubing vextending through'said device, limited downward movement of said device will seat'the outer inclined surface of said body on said tapered surface and move said keys inwardly to engage said slips with said tubing and upon downward movement of said tubing said slips will move-downwardly to grip the same and, at the same time, move said tension members and said pressure ring downwardly to axially compress and radially expand said packing ringinto engagement. with the outer surface of said tubing and the inner surface of said head to provide a seal between said tubing and said head.

' 3, A well tubing support and packing device comprising a generally cylindrical hollow body formed by two substantially semi-circular sections, an inwardly extending arcuate flange at the upper end of each section, the inner surfaceof the side wall of each section below said flange being downwardly and inwardly inclined, a portion of the outer surface of the side wall of each section being downwardly and inwardly inclined, the upper surface of the flange on each section being convex, a plurality of segmental tube engaging slips 'slidably disposed in said body, a downwardly and-inwardly inclined outer surface on each slip slidably engaging the inner surface of said body, screw threaded apertures in the upper end of each slip, a keyway in the outersurface of each slip, a key disposed in each keyway, a pin secured to each key and slidably received in aperture in the side wall of said body, each pin projectingoutwardly of the outer inclined portion of each section, a packing ring of yieldable material engaging the upper convex surface of each flange, a pressure ring formed by two substantially semi-circular sections having a convex lower surface engaging the upper surface of said packing ring, aligned apertures in said pressure ring, said packing ring and said flanges in alignment with the screw threaded apertures in said slips and headed screw threaded tension members extending through the apertures in said pressure ring and slidably received in the aligned apertures in said packing ring and flanges and engaging said screw threaded apertures in said slips wherebyupon placing said device in a well casing head having a partially tapered inner surface engaging said pins and with a tubing extending through said device, limited downward movement of said device will seat the outer inclined surface of said body on said tapered surface and move said key inwardly to engage said slips with said tubing and upon downward movement of said tubing said slips will move downwardly to grip the same and at the same time move said tension members and said pressure ring downwardly to axially compress and radially expand said packing ring into engagement with the outer surface of said tubing and the inner surface of said head to provide a seal between said tubing and said head.

4. A well tubing support and packing device comprising a generally cylindrical hollow body formed by two substantially semi-circular sections, an inwardly extending arcuate flange at the upper end of each section, the inner surface of the side wall of each section below said flange being downwardly and inwardly inclined, a portion of the outer surface of the side wall of each section being downwardly and inwardlyinclined, the upper surface of the flange on each section being convex, a plurality of segmental tube engaging slips slidably disposed in said body, a downwardly and inwardly inclined outer surface on each slip slidably engaging the inner surface of said body, screw threaded apertures in the upper end of each slip, a keyway in the outer surface of each slip, a key disposed in each keyway, a pin secured to each key and slidably received in an aperture in the side wall of said body, each pin projecting outwardly of the outer inclined portion of each section, a packing ring of yieldable material engaging the upper convex surface of each flange, a pressure ring having a convex lower surface engaging the upper surface of said packing ring, aligned apertures in said pressure ring, said packing ring and said flange in alignment with/the screw threaded apertures in said slips and headed screw threaded tension membersextending through the apertures in'said pressure ring and slidably received in the aligned apertures in said packing ring and flanges and engaging said screw threaded apertures in said slips whereby upon placing said device in a well casing head having a partially tapered inner surface engaging said pins and with a tubing extending through said device, limited downward movement of said, device will seat the outer inclined surface of said body on said tapered surface and move said keys inwardly to engage said slips with said tubing and upon downward movement of said tubing said slips will move downwardly to grip the same and at the same time move said tension members and said pressure ring downwardly to axially compress and radially expand said packing ring into engagement with the outer surface of said tubing and the inner surface of said head to provide a seal between said tubing and said head.

5. A well tubing support and packing device comprising a generally cylindrical hollow body, an inwardly extending arcuate flange at the upper end of said body, the inner surface of the side wall of said body below said flange being downwardly and inwardly inclined, a portion of the outer surface of the side wall of said body being downwardly and inwardly inclined, the upper surface of said flange being convex, a plurality of segmental tube engaging slips slidably disposed in said body, a downwardly and inwardly inclined outer surface on each slip slidably engaging the inner surface of said body, screw threaded apertures in the upper end of each slip,

a keyway in the outer surface of each slip, a key disposed in each keyway, a pin secured to each key and slidably received in an aperture in the side wall of said body, each pin projecting outwardly of the outer inclined portion of said body, a packing ring of yieldable material engaging the upper convex surface of said flange, a pressure ring having a convex lower surface engaging the upper surface of said packing ring, aligned apertures in said pressure ring, said packing ring and said flange in alignment with the screw threaded apertures in said slips and headed screw threaded tension members extending through the apertures in said pressure ring and slidably received in the aligned apertures in said packing ring and flange and engaging said screw threaded apertures in said slips whereby upon placing said device in a well casing head having a partially tapered inner surface engaging said pins and with a tubing extending through said device, limited downward movement of said device will seat the outer inclined surface of said body on said tapered surface and move said keys inwardly to engage said slips with said tubing and upon downward movement of said tubing said slips will move downwardly to grip the same and at the time move said tension members and said pressure ring downwardly to axially compress and radially expand said packing ring into engagement with the outer surface of said tubing and the inner surface of said head to provide a seal between said tubing and said head.

6. A well tubing support and packing device comprising a generally cylindrical hollow body, an inwardly extending arcuate flange at the upper end of said body, the inner surface of the side wall of said body below said flange being downwardly and inwardly inclined, the upper surface of said flange being convex, a plurality of segmental tube engaging slips slidably disposed in said body, a downwardly and and inwardly inclined outer surface on each slip slidably engaging the inner surface of said body, screw threaded apertures in the upper end of each slip, a keyway in the outer surface of each slip, a key disposed in each keyway, a pin secured to each key and slidably received in an aperture in the side wall of said body, said pins projecting outwardly of the sidewall of said body, a packing ring of yieldable material engaging the upper convex surface of said flange, a pressure ring having a convex lower surface engaging the upper surface of said packing ring, aligned apertures in said pressure ring, said packing ring and said flange in alignment with the screw-threaded apertures in said slips and headed screw threaded tension members extending through the apertures in said pressure ring and slidably received in the aligned apertures in said packing ring and flange and engaging said screw threaded apertures in said slips whereby upon placing said device in a well casing head having a partially tapered inner surface engaging said pins and with a tubing extending through said device, limited downward movement of said device will move said pins inwardly of said body and thereby move said keys and said slips radially inwardly to engage said slips with said tubing and upon downward movement of said tubing said slips will move downwardly to grip the same and at the same time move said tension members and said pressure ring downwardly to axially compress and radially expand said packing ring into engagement with the outer surface of said tubing and the inner surface of said head to provide a seal between said tubing and said head.

7. A well tubing support and packing device comprising a generally cylindrical hollow body, an inwardly extending arcuate flange at the upper end of said body,

the inner surface of the side wall of said body below said flange being downwardly and inwardly inclined, the upper surface of said flange being convex, a plurality of segmental tube engaging slips slidably disposed in said body, a downwardly and inwardly inclined outer surface on each slip slidably engaging the inner surface of said body, a keyway in the outer surface of each slip, a key disposed in each keyway, a pin secured to each key and slidably received in an aperture in the side wall of said body, said pins projecting outwardly of the sidewall of said body, a packing ring of yieldable material engaging the upper convex surface of said flange, a pressure ring having a convex lower surface engaging the upper surface of said packing ring, aligned apertures in said pressure ring, said packing ring and said flange and headed tension members extending through the apertures in said pressure ring and slidably received in the aligned apertures in said packing ring and flange and secured to said slips whereby upon placing said device in a well casing head having a partially tapered inner surface engaging said pins and with a tubing extending through said device, limited downward movement of said device will move said pins inwardly of said body and thereby move said keys and said slips radially inwardly to engage said slips with said tubing and upon downward movement of said tubing said slips will move downwardly to grip the same and at the same time move said tension members and said pressure ring downwardly to axially compress and radially extend said packing ring into engagement with the outer surface of said tubing and the inner surface of said head to provide a seal between said tubing and said head.

8. A well tubing support and packing device comprising a generally cylindrical hollow body, an inwardly extending arcuate flange at the upper end of said body, the inner surface of the side wall of said body below said flange being downwardly and inwardly inclined, the upper surface of said flange being convex, a plurality of segmental tube engaging slips slidably disposed in said body, a downwardly and inwardly inclined outer surface on each slip slidably engaging the inner surface of said body, a keyway in the outer surface of each slip, a key disposed in each keyway, means on each key extending outwardly of the side wall of said body, a packing ring of yieldable material engaging the upper convex surface of said flange, a pressure ring having a convex lower surface engaging the upper surface of said packing ring, aligned apertures in said pressure ring, said packing ring and said flange and headed tension members extending through the apertures in said pressure ring and slidably received in the aligned apertures in said packing ring and flange and secured to said slips whereby upon placing said device in a well casing head having a partially tapered inner surface engaging said means and with a tubing extending through said device, limited downward movement of said device will move said means inwardly of said body and thereby move said keys and said slips radially inwardly to engage said slips with said tubing and upon downward movement of said tubing said slips will move downwardly to grip the same and atthe same time move said tension members and said pressure ring downwardly to axially compress and radially extend said packing ring into engagement with the outer surface of said tubing and the inner surface of said head to provide a seal between said tubing and said head.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,496,190 Works Jan. 31, 1950 2,553,838 Allen May 22, 1951 2,563,851 Lundeen Aug. 14, 1951 2,683,046 Allen July 6, 1954 2,683,047 Allen July 6, 1954 2,689,139 Jones Sept. 14, 1954 

